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Kid stuff

Little Atlas
Help your child learn about the places Mom or Dad travels to all around the country with kid-friendly activity books and games from Universal Map. The Parents’ Choice Foundation-approved Kids’ Interstate Road Atlas features a map of each state with puzzles, mazes, games and trivia on each page. The Travel Activity Map is a colorful map of the United States surrounded by fun games. Youngsters can trace and wipe off routes across the plastic-coated map with the included marker. Each booklet is $4.95, or a clear plastic backpack filled with travel books and activities is $21.95, and can be ordered by calling (800) 829-6277 or visiting www.universalmap.com.

Road-Ready Room
Decorate your child’s room in truckin’ style with colorful posters featuring a transportation theme. If you can’t find them at the local store, search the web and you’ll discover several options, like “Truck Carrier” by Marnie Bishop Elmer, “Truckin'” by Lila Rose Kennedy and “Truck” by Susan Zulauf. We found these three at www.allposters.com, but you can also try www.art.com, www.postershop.com and www.postercheckout.com.

Plush Pals
The soft plush semi-truck from TWE has a voice recordable microchip to let you say goodnight to your child even when you can’t be there to tuck him in. Record any special message you want on the $19.95 toy, which comes in your choice of four characters, including the red Tommy Truck and pink Adorable Caroline. TWE also offers the Big Rig High School educational kit, which teaches kids about the trucking industry by taking them on an “enchanting journey.” Narrated by Little Lennie and Professor Lugnut, the kit includes a coloring book/story book, cinematic read-along adventure CD, TommyTunes music CD and package of crayons. The kit sells for $19.95 at www.mytommysworld.com. Buy the CD alone for $14.95, and TWE will donate $5 of the purchase price to Trucker Buddy International.

It’s a Colorful Life
Your child will feel like a part of Mom or Dad’s world when coloring trucking scenes in the Trucker Buddy International coloring books. “Trucker Buddies Bob & Ann Buy a Kenworth Truck” features images of a truck as it is assembled, painted and fueled up to pick up its first load. “Mike Ryan Races to the Top of Pike’s Peak” is an activity and coloring book starring record-setting truck racer Mike Ryan and his Freightliner. Coloring books can be ordered by calling (800) MY-BUDDY; they’re sold in packs of 10 for $13.50. Also available are “pretend” logbooks kids can fill out with their time spent playing, sleeping, doing homework and learning at school.